Deadly Fall

Paula Savard's life has stalled. Her lukewarm love life, job as an insurance adjuster and grownup children are more frustrating than exciting. However, she gets more than she asked for when her once best friend, Callie, is murdered while jogging to Paula's inner-city Calgary home. The police suggest Callie was coming to Paula for help, which is news to Paula since they had

Paula Savard's life has stalled. Her lukewarm love life, job as an insurance adjuster and grownup children are more frustrating than exciting. However, she gets more than she asked for when her once best friend, Callie, is murdered while jogging to Paula's inner-city Calgary home. The police suggest Callie was coming to Paula for help, which is news to Paula since they hadn't seen each other in ages. Soon, Paula's suspicions zero in on Callie's new husband, Sam.

An ill-considered investigation turns personal for Paula when she begins to get close to Sam, but is Sam's interest a front to trick Paula? Lies begin accumulating. Suddenly, Paula's not sure who she should protect and who she should fear. As the truth reveals itself, Paula hatches a plan to draw the killer out. The plan's success would not only allow her to solve the murder, but also give her life a fresh start.

Community Reviews

Insurance adjuster Paula Savard knows something is wrong the moment she approaches the Elbow River near her house in Calgary. Yellow crime-scene tape rarely decorates the jogging trail in this safe Canadian city. Her intrusive male neighbour says that a woman has been shot. Then Paula finds that her absent friend Callie Moss has left a message on her answering machine. No doubt nattering on about her perfect life, Paula imagines, declining to listen to the note. Her own life is a boring shamblesInsurance adjuster Paula Savard knows something is wrong the moment she approaches the Elbow River near her house in Calgary. Yellow crime-scene tape rarely decorates the jogging trail in this safe Canadian city. Her intrusive male neighbour says that a woman has been shot. Then Paula finds that her absent friend Callie Moss has left a message on her answering machine. No doubt nattering on about her perfect life, Paula imagines, declining to listen to the note. Her own life is a boring shambles. She’s divorced from Gary, who still wants to look after her, despite his new girlfriend. She’s found an occasional date in Hayden, though the sparks aren’t flying except for arguments. But Callie’s life is far from perfect. In fact, it’s over. Dumbstruck by disbelief after she hears the news, Paula visits the scene. “The murder site looked benign. No marks married the pavement or the earth. Shrubs lined the ridge that dropped to the Elbow River. Their jade leaves listened in the afternoon sun; limbs swayed in the warm breeze. Across the river gorge, the Saddledome’s curved roof embraced the sky.” When she finds out that not only was Callie’s last message to her, but that she redialled moments before she was killed, Paula is overcome with guilt. Their relationship went back to the freewheeling Seventies when they were in university together in some bumpy times. They lost touch until two years ago when Paula moved to Calgary. But why wasn’t she invited to Callie’s second wedding? Was it really strictly family? As few clues emerge, Paula regards everyone in Callie’s former life with suspicion. Ex-husband Kenneth had reason to resent his wife’s running off to marry his friend Sam. An architect and man of mystery who meets Paula for the first time, the handsome Sam seems less than devastated by his bereavement. At the moment he’s overrun by Callie’s family preparing for the funeral, notably her sister and nieces. Before Paula knows what’s happening, one annoying teenage niece named Isabelle, out of school and in search of a McJob, has moved in with her. Paula has grown-up children of her own to handle. The repartee between the two generations is honed to a fine point and gives welcome comic relief, whether sparring over clothes, money, or food. Soft-hearted Paula curses herself for caving to Isabelle’s pleas, but as a mother, she worries about the girl’s safety and casual attitude about danger. No one seems to have an alibi for the dead-of-night murder. Then it’s discovered that Sam’s father kept a pistol, possibly the one which killed Callie. But too many people knew about it, and besides, it’s missing. Detective Vincelli enters the scene and wonders why Callie chose Paula to call. Not long after, Callie’s secrets begin to surface, for example, that she and Sam didn’t sleep together. That their marriage was a ruse to hide the fact that Callie was having an affair with Sam’s son Dimitri, a rising star in Parliament, who could ill stand a scandal. And could there be something brewing between Sam and the nubile Isabelle? Paula’s having trouble understanding Sam, but she can’t see him as a murderer. And in view of his sham marriage, it’s no surprise that he seems to have an attraction for her. Their sweet and ingenuous date to a junior hockey game is a classic Canadian evening. But the secrets won’t stay hidden. When another friend who had announced that he was preparing to break a major news story is found dead, Callie’s tragic story keeps expanding like a stone thrown into a pond. The more she learns, the more Paula feels that she owes Callie the answer to a senseless death. First-time novelist Calder hits the target with this fast-moving amateur sleuth outing. Her familiarity with Alberta’s crown city and its gorgeous surroundings in the Rocky Mountain foothills makes the scenery shine. Twists and turns in the human relationships leave nothing impossible. In the middle of this maelstrom, Paula keeps her head and her life while pursuing a baffling mystery whose roots delve deeply into the hidden lives of ordinary Canadians. The touch of romance keeps her off balance just long enough to give the killer another opportunity to close someone’s mouth forever.

Since I prefer to read plot-driven fiction, I found this book enjoyable on that point alone. There were some interesting plot developments, IMO. However, the characters were quite weakly written. Another reviewer commented that the characters were too ordinary. I'm fine with that but they were quite two dimensional as well. What I noticed even more was that none of the relationships between any of the characters felt real, like watching a movie where the actors don't get along behind the scenes.Since I prefer to read plot-driven fiction, I found this book enjoyable on that point alone. There were some interesting plot developments, IMO. However, the characters were quite weakly written. Another reviewer commented that the characters were too ordinary. I'm fine with that but they were quite two dimensional as well. What I noticed even more was that none of the relationships between any of the characters felt real, like watching a movie where the actors don't get along behind the scenes. The protagonist's relationship with her boyfriend at the beginning of the story didn't seem very close or serious then when she gets romantically involved with one of the suspects in the murder of her best friend I don't see or feel any reason for her actions. Even given that she is trying to find her friend's killer, sleeping with a suspect is stupid on so many levels; if this character was meant to be very attracted to the man in question, the author was not able to convey that in her writing.This is a first novel by the author & I hope she improves with subsequent works. I do like that it's set in Calgary; it's always a kick to recognize the setting of a story. ...more

Paula Savard is shocked to learn that her friend Callie was shot to death while jogging near Paula’s home. Paula feels guilt for not having kept in touch with Callie, and for not returning her recent phone message. Upon contacting Callie’s family and friends, it isn’t long before Paula wonders if one of them killed her.

Deadly Fall is the first in a new series set in Calgary, Alberta, and author Susan Calder provides great descriptions of different communities within the city. She also does a wonPaula Savard is shocked to learn that her friend Callie was shot to death while jogging near Paula’s home. Paula feels guilt for not having kept in touch with Callie, and for not returning her recent phone message. Upon contacting Callie’s family and friends, it isn’t long before Paula wonders if one of them killed her.

Deadly Fall is the first in a new series set in Calgary, Alberta, and author Susan Calder provides great descriptions of different communities within the city. She also does a wonderful job of portraying the complexity of friendships, new and old. The angst of strained friendships is a terrific theme which leads to a surprising but satisfying ending.

When you’re reading an amateur sleuth story dealing with family, friends, and coworkers, it’s always a little tough to remember all the characters at first, and this group has overlapping marital histories which made relationships even more complicated. Yet, characters are sufficiently drawn so I could soon distinguish one from the other. Paula is a 52-year-old divorced insurance adjuster with two daughters and an uncertain love life, and I think readers will relate to her concerns and struggles. As an insurance adjuster, she has an inquisitive, semi-suspicious mind, and is a natural at knocking on doors to ask questions. It’s a terrific job for an amateur sleuth, and I look forward to reading more of Paula’s adventures in future.

“Deadly Fall” is Susan Calder’s first mystery novel set in Calgary. I’m drawn to mysteries with a strong sense of place and they really work for me if they can combine local flair with some interesting characters and a suspenseful plot. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t deliver it for me. I gave it 100 pages and then put it aside.

The local flair is actually there. Not only in naming familiar places but also in providing some of the anecdotes that are so unique for a place like Calgary. Where else“Deadly Fall” is Susan Calder’s first mystery novel set in Calgary. I’m drawn to mysteries with a strong sense of place and they really work for me if they can combine local flair with some interesting characters and a suspenseful plot. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t deliver it for me. I gave it 100 pages and then put it aside.

The local flair is actually there. Not only in naming familiar places but also in providing some of the anecdotes that are so unique for a place like Calgary. Where else would it seem perfectly normal to put up Christmas lights in September because you never now when the weather turns? This can be a great source of humour for a local mystery and I would have loved to see more of it.

However, the characters were just too ordinary. I don’t mind ordinary people as protagonists in general but then the writing has to provide something extraordinary to make them interesting to read. Some personality quirks, humour, irony - anything to lift them out of boredom. The crime alone is not enough for this.

The plot moves waaaay too slow for me. There no action, no surprise in dialogue, no suspense. And Paula Savard is so clearly NOT a skilled investigator, making me cringe with some of her assumptions and speculations about the crime, much too amateurish for my taste. It could work if presented with some humour but she seems too ernest for that.

There are books I do allow for a slow beginning and space for the author to set the scene but a mystery novel that shouldn’t be more than about 200 pages doesn’t work that way. It ends up being boring and disappointing. ...more

What I most enjoyed about this book is that it's set in my home town of Calgary, and I liked the constant surprise of reading the names of some of my favourite spots in and around the city. Calder also introduces us to quite an array of interesting characters.

However, the pacing varied too much for my liking...sometimes seeming to drag interminably and other times jumping from one impulse to "help" the police with their investigation to another. I found it hard to believe that the central charaWhat I most enjoyed about this book is that it's set in my home town of Calgary, and I liked the constant surprise of reading the names of some of my favourite spots in and around the city. Calder also introduces us to quite an array of interesting characters.

However, the pacing varied too much for my liking...sometimes seeming to drag interminably and other times jumping from one impulse to "help" the police with their investigation to another. I found it hard to believe that the central character, Paula, was able to embroil herself so deeply into a murder investigation.

Fortunately, this was a pretty quick read, so I didn't feel like I wasted my time. And I enjoyed the Calgary references so much that I would consider reading a second book in the "series."...more

I picked up this book from the New and Notables shelf at the library because I enjoy reading mysteries. This one kept me guessing to the end, which I found surprising and believable. Paula, the protagonist,is a strong, well-developed character. The other characters were equally interesting. I'll look out for the next book in the series to follow their further adventures.

Wow - loved it. This book has a protagonist that is just like your friendly aunt. She gets involved in helping the cops solve her best friends' murder. I loved the Calgary scenes, and the characters are all just like real people. If you like Sue Grafton or Gail Bowen, then you will love this series. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Very well done! Although I had the right perpetrator, I certainly didn't have the motive. It was also quite interesting to read a book set in a city I'd actually visited. Love it .... would read more by Susan Calder ..... would seek them out ..... she's really, really good!